SURNAMES IN ITALY

Surname Nervi

Origin and meaning

The scholars consulted agree that this surname derives from the place name Nervi, a locality situated in the area of Genoa. E. De Felice places the surname within the central Ligurian tradition, noting its direct formation from that place name. E. Rossoni specifies the geographical location and broadens the original distribution, indicating that the surname appears to be proper to Liguria, with a presence both in the area of Genoa and in the interior of the area of Alessandria. It is similarly recorded as deriving from the name of the town of Nervi, in the area of Genoa.

Geographic distribution: Central Liguria

📍 You can view how this surname is distributed in Italy: View distribution in Italy (Cognomix)

This entry brings together what 3 authors propose about the origin of the surname. In some cases they agree and reinforce a single hypothesis; in others, they contribute different views worth considering.

Sources

This entry of the Italian Surname Meanings dictionary is based on the following specialized onomastic sources:

  • De Felice, E. (1978). Dizionario dei cognomi italiani. Milano: Mondadori.
  • Rossoni, E. (2002). Origine e storia dei cognomi italiani. Retrieved from https://www.cognomiitaliani.org
  • Research conducted by Surnames in Italy, the English-language project of Ancestros Italianos, based on the bibliography cited in the references.